Boston University men’s basketball coach Dennis Wolff said all his team needed to win in its last five games was a little more production, a pinch more consistency, a tad more help on the post and a slight overhaul on the perimeter.
He was right.
“When you look at the stat sheet, the thing that sticks out to me is that we won with four guys in double figures – none of them our leading scorers,” Wolff said. “[Ben] Coblyn and [Omari] Peterkin both played very well – played with energy, smart on the post.
“And I thought Brian [Macon] and Shaun [Wynn] – Shaun obviously got us a little bit of a cushion with the way he shot the ball in the first half – and Brian played with a lot of composure at the end of the game.”
In last night’s 59-47 win over the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, those were the big four. Wynn (17 points) led the Terriers on the floor, playing 38 minutes, knocking down four big 3-pointers in the first half and going 3-for-4 from the charity stripe. Fellow guard Macon (12 points, 2-of-5 beyond the arc) and forwards Peterkin (11 points, 5-of-10 from the floor) and Coblyn (10 points, 4-for-4 from the line) weren’t far behind.
Where the points didn’t come from was the combination of Corey Hassan and Kevin Gardner, one a constant outside threat, the other a sizzling inside force. And it’s about time.
“You tell me we hold [Hassan and Gardner] under their numbers, I think we have a very good shot at winning the ballgame,” said UMBC coach Randy Monroe. “And then Shaun Wynn, who stepped up as a senior and knocked down some big 3s, did a good job of taking over the ballgame and controlling the game. Then Peterkin did a good job inside down the stretch there, ’cause he was tough and made some tough shots around the basket.”
“It’s good to see other guys step up and know they can contribute on the offensive end,” Wynn said, “to take the load off of one man whose been basically carrying the team the last couple of games.”
Last night, the consistently inconsistent perimeter play was strong for 40 minutes. UMBC felt an inside presence from more than just Gardner, who found himself in early foul trouble, but also from the likes of Coblyn and Peterkin. The Terriers were finally, confidently, getting it done.
“We were 7-for-18 from 3,” said Wolff, “which is not great but way better than we’ve been shooting.”
“All of us on the perimeter, we’re just trying to be more aggressive,” said Macon.
Still, Wolff attests that his team could have won the last three contests, and that they can continue to churn out big wins.
So how was this game any different?
“We won.”
